Lagerstroemia plant named &#39;DELEE&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Lagerstroemia  cultivar named ‘DELEE’ is disclosed, characterized by distinctive Greyed-Purple foliage and bright pink flowers. Plants maintain distinctive foliage color throughout growing season and show increased tolerance for Cercospora leaf spot ( C. lythracearum ). The new cultivar is a  Lagerstroemia , suitable for ornamental garden purposes.

Latin name of the genus and species: Lagerstroemia indica.

Variety denomination: ‘DELEE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program by theinventor, Robert Edward Lee. The inventor's intention was to developLagerstroemia hybrid plants with dark foliage and resistance toCercospora leaf spot (C. lythracaerum). This new variety, hereinafterreferred to as ‘DELEE’, was discovered as a seedling, resulting from anopen pollination of several Lagerstroemia indica varieties. Seed wasbulk collected from several seed parents, with the actual seed andpollen parents unidentified. The new variety was selected by theinventor during Summer of 2007 at a commercial nursery in Independence,La.

After identifying the new variety as a potentially interestingselection, the inventor first organized propagation of ‘DELEE’ byvegetative cuttings Fall of 2007 at the same commercial nursery inIndependence, La. The inventor continued controlled testing andpropagation, assessing stability of the unique characteristics of thisvariety. Multiple generations have been reproduced and have shown thatthe unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true totype.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘DELEE’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘DELEE’ These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘DELEE’ as a new and distinct Lagerstroemia cultivar:

-   -   1. Unique dark red-purple leaf color.    -   2. Dark foliage color maintained throughout growing season.    -   3. Bright pink flower color.    -   4. Increased tolerance for Cercospora leaf spot (C.        lythracearum).

COMPARISON TO PARENT VARIETY

Parents cannot be identified.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘DELEE’ can be compared to the commercial variety Lagerstroemia hybrid‘Chocolate Mocha’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,540. Plants of the new cultivar‘DELEE’ are similar to plants of ‘Chocolate Mocha’ in most horticulturalcharacteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘DELEE’ differ inthe following:

-   -   1. ‘Delee’ produces dark pink blooms, this comparator produces        light pink blooms.    -   2. Plants of ‘Delee’ produce longer inflorescence than this        comparator.

‘DELEE’ can be compared to the commercial variety Lagerstroemia hybrid‘WhitIV, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,342. Plants of the new cultivar ‘DELEE’are similar to plants of ‘WhitIV’ in most horticultural characteristics,however, plants of the new cultivar ‘DELEE’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. ‘Delee’ has dark pink flowers, ‘WhitIV’ produces red flowers.    -   2. Foliage of ‘Delee’ is darker than foliage of ‘WhitIV’.    -   3. Dark foliage color of ‘Delee’ is maintained throughout the        growing season, whereas foliage of ‘WhitIV’ is dark green,        changing to bronze in the Fall.

‘DELEE’ can be compared to the variety Lagerstroemia hybrid ‘DELEF’,filed concurrently. Plants of the new cultivar ‘DELEE’ are similar toplants of ‘DELEF’ in most horticultural characteristics, however, plantsof the new cultivar ‘DELEE’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. ‘DELEE’ has bright medium pink flowers, ‘DELEE’ produces dark        pink flowers.    -   2. Foliage of ‘DELEE’ is slightly lighter Greyed-Purple than        foliage of ‘DELEF’.    -   3. Plants of ‘DELEE’ are denser, producing more lateral branches        than plants of ‘DELEF’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color plant ofthe new variety, without flowers.

FIG. 2 illustrates typical foliage of the new variety.

FIG. 3 illustrates the inflorescence. The photographs were taken usingconventional techniques and although colors may appear different fromactual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible byconventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2007 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘DELEE’ plants grown outdoors in Loxley, Ala.Plants are approximately 2 years old, in a 3 gallon nursery container.Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical planttypes.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Propagation:    -   -   Typical propagation.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 21 days at approximately 30°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting/liner.—About 25 to 35 days            at approximately 30° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, woody, dense. Colored near            Grey-Brown 199A.-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—Upright, multi-stemmed small tree or shrub.        -   Age of plant described.—Approximately 2 years.        -   Height.—Approximately 90 cm.        -   Plant spread.—Approximately 55 cm.        -   Trunk.—Average 5 main stems, which develop into            multi-trunked tree or shrub. Diameter: Approximately 3.5 cm,            after 2 to 3 years. Color: Near RHS Brown N200B. Texture:            Slightly scaly. Pubescence: None. Lenticels: Not Present.        -   Branching characteristics.—Branches occurring at angles            approximately 25° to 45° from trunk.        -   Length of primary lateral branches.—Approximately 75 cm.        -   Diameter of lateral branches.—Approximately 2.0 cm.        -   Approximate quantity of lateral branches.—5 lateral branches            per main stem.        -   Young shoots.—Coloration: Near RHS Greyed-Purple 187C. Nodes            near Orange-White 159A Texture: Ridged, slight, fine            pubescence. Lenticels: Not Present.-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaf.—Arrangement: Alternate. Foliage occurring in close            alternate pairs(nearly sub-opposite). Pairs more widely            spaced apart. Internode space between pairs average range            1.5 to 2.5 cm, internode space between paired leaves            approximately 0.5 cm. Quantity: Approximately 40 per main            branch. Average Length: Approximately 3.5 cm. Average Width:            Approximately 2.4 cm. Shape of blade: Elliptic. Apex: Acute.            Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire, even/smooth throughout.            Texture of top surface: Glabrous. Texture of bottom surface:            Glabrous. Color: Young foliage upper side: Near RHS            Greyed-Purple N187A. Young foliage under side: Near RHS            Grey-Brown N199B, flushed N187A. Mature foliage upper side:            Near RHS Greyed-Green N189A, flushed Greyed-Purple 183A, and            187B. Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Yellow-Green 147A,            flushed Greyed-Purple 187B. Venation: Type: Pinnate Venation            color upper side: Near RHS Greyed-Purple 183A. Venation            color under side: Near RHS Greyed-Purple 187B. Petiole:            Length: Approximately 0.2 cm. Width: Approximately 0.1 cm.            Color: Near RHS Greyed-Purple 187A. Texture: Glabrous.-   Flower:    -   -   Natural flowering season.—Summer through Fall.        -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Panicle.        -   Quantity of flowers per inflorescence.—Approximately 150 to            250 flowers.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: Approximately 9.0 cm. Height:            Approximately 17.0 cm.        -   Individual flowers.—Size: Diameter: Approximately 2.9 cm.            Length: Approximately 1.6 cm.        -   Petals.—Petal quantity: 6 to 12 Size: Length: 1.2 cm. Width:            1.6 cm. Margin: Highly lobate, highly undulate. Apex:            Obtuse. Base: Cordate. Texture: Glabrous.        -   Color.—Petals: When opening: Inner surface: Near RHS            Red-Purple 61B. Outer surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 63B.            Fully opened: Inner surface: Between RHS Red-Purple 63B            Outer surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 61C. Color Changes when            aging: Inner surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 63C and 62C. Outer            surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 62D.        -   Bud.—Shape: Spherical. Length: Approximately 0.8 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 0.8 cm. Color: Near RHS Red-Purple            61A.        -   Peduncle.—Length: Average range 5.0 to 9.0 cm. Diameter:            0.3 cm. Color: Near RHS Greyed-Purple 187B Texture: Glabrous            Aspect: Straight. Angle of attachment, approximately 25°            angle from stem.        -   Pedicel.—Length: Average 0.5 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Color:            Near RHS Greyed-Purple 187A, lightly streaked N187C Texture:            Glabrous.        -   Fragrance.—Very faint fragrance.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Number: Approximately 25. Filament length:            Approximately 0.9 cm. Filament color: Near RHS Red-Purple            63C.        -   Anthers.—Length: Less than 0.1 cm, close to 0.5 mm. Shape:            Rounded. Color: Near RHS Yellow 7C. Pollen: Quantity:            Abundant Color: Near RHS Yellow 8C.        -   Pistil.—Number: 5 Length: Approximately 1.4 cm. Style:            Length: Approximately 1.2 cm. Color: Near RHS Greyed-Purple            186B. Stigma: Shape: Rounded. Color: Near RHS Green 137C.            Ovary: Color: Near RHS Yellow 8B. Size: Approximately            0.2 cm. Shape: Spherical.-   Other characteristics:    -   -   Disease/pest resistance.—Increased tolerance for Cercospora            leaf spot (C. lythracearum).        -   Temperature tolerance.—USDA Zones 7, 8, 9.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lagerstroemiaplant named ‘DELEE’ as herein illustrated and described.